Jogah facts for kids

The Jogah are special "little people" from the stories of the Iroquois Native American tribes. They are usually invisible, meaning you can't see them. But there are ways to know if they are nearby!

The Jogah: Invisible Little People of Iroquois Stories

How Do You Know Jogah Are Around?

Even though you can't usually see the Jogah, they leave clues. Sometimes, you might hear drumming sounds, but there's no one around playing drums! They also leave special marks on the ground. These marks can be bare circles of earth or bowl-shaped hollows in stones or mud. People sometimes leave small gifts, like tobacco or fingernails, in these "bowls" as offerings.

The Jogah are also sometimes blamed for mysterious lights you might see. They are also linked to times when things go wrong or people have bad luck.

What Do Jogah Look Like?

Most people cannot see the Jogah. But some people, like children, elders, or spiritual healers, have claimed to see them. When seen, Jogah are described as being quite small. They are usually "knee-high" or up to about 4 ft 0 in (1.22 m) tall.

Jogah Behavior and Their Tricks

The Jogah love to play games and tricks. But be careful! If you are not respectful towards them, their tricks can become dangerous. People have even said that Jogah can cause sickness in homes or neighborhoods. This might happen if those places are built on spots that the Jogah really like to be.

Different Kinds of Jogah

The Jogah are not all the same. They are divided into different groups, each with their own special jobs and habits.

Gahongas: The Stone Throwers

The Gahongas are a group of Jogah known as "stone throwers" or "rollers." They like to live in rocky places, especially near streams. Their favorite game is to play "catch" with people using stones. These stones can sometimes be as big as boulders!

Gandayah: The Plant Protectors

The Gandayah Jogah are very important for nature. They take care of all the plants in an area. They tell the plants when to grow and how much fruit or vegetables they will produce. They are known to help Iroquois farmers who treat them with respect.

The Gandayah love strawberries! They can also change their shape. If they bring good news, they might appear as American robins. But if their news is bad, they might take the form of owls.

Ohdows: The Underground Guardians

The Ohdows are a special group of Jogah who live underground. They are like guardians of our world. Their job is to protect us from creatures that come from a hidden world below. These creatures might try to spread sickness or cause big problems, like the "White Buffalo" which brings chaos.

The Ohdows come out from underground at night. They dance and hunt any of these underworld creatures that have escaped. To help them with this important task, people used to leave fingernails as offerings. This helped the Ohdows in their hunt.